AP - Most Asian stock markets extended their New Year's rally Wednesday, with Japan's index up nearly 2 percent, on hopes that stimulus measures from a new U.S. administration would help speed the world's economic recovery.

AP - Japanese stocks rose for a seventh straight trading day on Wednesday, lifted by optimism over a U.S. economic stimulus plan and a surge in exporters on the back of a weakening yen.

Reuters - Top U.S. lender Bank of America , raising cash to weather a dismal market at home, sold a $2.83 billion chunk of its holding in China Construction Bank (0939.HK) on Wednesday, dragging the Chinese bank's stock 6 percent lower.

Reuters - Average rents for U.S. apartments fell in the fourth quarter, as a sharp economic downturn and rising unemployment left Americans unwilling to pay higher prices, according to data released on Wednesday.

Reuters - Britain's biggest clothing retailer reported its worst sales in a decade on Wednesday and Taiwan said its exports plunged the most on record, grim news belying recent optimism in world markets of a revival in the global economy.

Reuters - General Motors Corp has adequate government loans pledged to cover the worst-case scenario it outlined in December to Congress and will not need more unless the economy worsens, a Bloomberg report said.

Reuters - The U.S. government is beefing up a task force to fight mortgage crimes and safeguard federal financial bailouts, the U.S. Justice Department said on Tuesday.

AP - German billionaire Adolf Merckle threw himself in front of a train after his business empire, which included interests ranging from VW cars to pharmaceuticals to cement, ran into trouble in the global financial crisis, his family said Tuesday.

Reuters - Pfizer Inc , the world's biggest pharmaceutical group, is open to acquisitions, its chief executive Jeff Kindler told the Financial Times in an interview.